Thompson's NCSU Hall induction evokes exciting basketball memories

Saturday

Oct 6, 2012 at 12:01 AMOct 6, 2012 at 5:57 PM

Alan Ford

The David Thompson saga took one more exciting turn Friday when the Cleveland County native and former NBA standout was inducted into the inaugural class of the N.C. State University Sports Hall of Fame.

Appropriately, it took place at the spot where he drew so many cheers – Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

Known as ‘Skywalker’ to basketball fans watching him soar in the 1970s and 80s, he added this jewel to the crown of a career that includes membership in the NBA, North Carolina and Cleveland County Sports Halls of Fame.

The path his basketball career took, and his love for the game, still resonates for those who followed him rise to the highest levels of stardom.

“I just remember he would practice (at Crest), then go over to Gardner-Webb and play all night with some of the guys there,” said Ed Peeler, who coached ‘DT’ at Crest. “He just wanted to play all the time.”

“I used to go around before practice when we were having a shoot-around,” said Peeler, “and talk to the players and David was way out near the corner and hitting these long bank shots. I finally asked why he was doing that.

“He just said, ‘I might have to take that shot in a game sometime, coach.’”

Bill Cameron, who later taught and coached at Crest High, was a year ahead of Thompson in high school and was a teammate.

“He had that competitive fire, he wanted to win,” said Cameron. “He just didn’t like to lose. And he could rise to the occasion.”

Cameron remembers a hot race for the scoring lead in the old Southwestern Conference between Thompson and Otis Cole of Kings Mountain, who went on to play at Florida State.

“They were neck-and-neck so before our last game, coach said we were going to get the scoring championship for David, to give him the ball,” Cameron said. “I think David scored 49 that night and (the opponent) R-S Central only had 47.”

In an era long before LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, and with Michael Jordan’s feats still within memory for many, Thompson’s impact may be lost on a younger generation. But not for those inside the game.

“The ACC hadn’t seen a player of his caliber before,” said former Kings Mountain coach Larry Sipe, who has helped recruiting services rate players, in addition to running the clock at Tar Heel home games. “I was in grad school at Chapel Hill when he was a freshman at N.C.State. In those days, the freshman games the night before would be a sellout.

“I got to see him at Carmichael Auditorium. It looked like he had his elbows above the rim all night. He could play today. He was really ahead of his time and the ACC had not seen that before.”

So many memories arise when Thompson’s name is mentioned, not just by Wolfpack fans. There were the ‘Super Bowl’ Sunday matchups with Maryland, the down-to-the-wire ACC Tournament championship games in a time when only one team advanced to the NCAAs, plus the ‘Pack taking down mighty UCLA in the Final Four after seven straight Bruins NCAA titles.

But there also that scary day in 1974 when the Wolfpack’s championship hopes hung in the balance when Thompson took a memorable fall in the regional finals at Reynolds against Pittsburgh.

“I recently saw on TV another angle of that play,” said Peeler, “and I actually saw him catch his foot on (teammate) Phil Spence’s shoulder and then land hard on his head and back. That did scare everyone.”

Cameron, who went to N.C. State and worked in the sports information office there, saw it up close.

“Since I was working getting stats to the press, we were right down there on the floor watching when he fell,” said Cameron. “I just remember that thump when his head hit the floor. But I remember him coming back out with that bandage on his head and the reaction (cheers).”

What struck so many about Thompson’s style of play, especially at a time in college basketball when dunking was not allowed, was how down-to-earth he came across as a person.

“He was always so humble,” said Sipe. “He didn’t beat his chest. He was a team player.”

Peeler tells a story of Thompson’s devotion to his friends.

“That first year at Crest, I had players from several schools (that had merged) and we had a few quit due to playing time,” Peeler said, “and David was a freshman on the JV and I was going to bring him up (to varsity).

“But he told me, ‘Coach, I want to stay with my guys,’ and he remained on the JV team the rest of the year. And he would have gotten to play for us.”

Rev. Robert Dover, who pastors at Maple Springs Baptist Church where the Thompson family attended, said Thompson has always been a source of pride for everyone there.

“I didn’t know him that well then, he was already in the pros by then, but his mother and father, brothers and sisters were there and it was always a pleasure being around him,” said. “The people of the church are very proud of him and his accomplishments and still respect him very highly.”

“North Carolina (the state) has been so blessed,” said Sipe. “Those homegrown players – like David, Michael Jordan and Henry Logan – it’s been amazing what’s come out of this state.

“And then you’ve got players like (James) Worthy, (Dominique) Wilkins, (Phil) Ford, (Cornbread) Maxwell, (Jerry) Stackhouse and on and on. And no doubt, Thompson is one of, if not the best, that’s come from here.”